Thread control system for weft replenishing looms



. y 1945- w. H. WAKEFIELD 2,375,712

THREAD CONTROL SYSTEM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Sept. 2, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet l May 8, 1945.

w. H. WAKEFIELD THREAD CONTROL SYSTEM 'FORWEF'I REPLENISHINGLOOMS FiledSept. 2, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inn. if

'lqrroRMsv I Patented May 8,1945

OFFICE REPLEN ISHIN G LO OMS Walter H. Wakefield, Worcester, Mass.,'assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, acorporation ofMassachusetts Application September 2, 1944,Serial No.552,461

21 Claims. (Cl.139247) This invention relates to improvements in threadcontrol systems for weft replenishing looms and it is the general objectof the inven- I tion to provide a collector or accumulator located inthe magazine to receive the threads of the outgoing and incoming bobbinsincident to a weft replenishing operation.

In a weft replenishing loom the outgoing bobbin leaves, a threadextending from the shuttle box to the selvage and the incoming bobbinleaves a thread extending fromthe thread holder to the selvage; It hasbeen proposed heretofore to out both of these threads and collect thempneumatically in a common receiver or accumulator so that they may beremoved from the path of the shuttle and not. be drawn into the warpshed. In a certain type of reserve bobbin magazine the bobbins arearranged in two horizontally spaced stacks and fed downwardly by gravitytoward transfer positions. The magazine is so made that there is aconsiderable'distance between the stacks of bobbins and it is animportant object of my present invention to locate the thread collectorwithin the magazine so that provision need not be made for its supportelsewhere on the loom.

Reserve bobbin magazines customarily derive theirsupport from astationary bracket or the like and it isanother object of my inventionto make the magazine support hollow and include it in a pneumatic threadremoving system pro- I I vided with a: thread collector which is mountedon the support and in pneumatic communication with it. I

In a more specific form of my invention the collector is used inconnection with a magazine which rocks about an axis so that the lowestbobbin in either of the two stacks may be moved to transfer position. Itis another object of my present invention to construct and mount thethread collector so that it does not interfere with the rocking of themagazine.

In weft replenishing looms it is necessary to make some provision forholding the weft ends of the reserve bobbins in the magazine, and it isanother object of my present invention to provide a pneumatic threadholdersupported by the thread collectorin the magazine. The threadholder and the thread collector are thereby both supported by the hollowsupport for the magazine. i i I Itis necessary from time to time toremove the accumulated threads in the collector and it a is a stillfurther object of my invention to provide .a collector within themagazine so constructed that it can be emptied through a door or thelike spaced from the plane in which the outer part of the magazine rocksso that there ,will be no danger of injury to the operator when removingthe collected threads shouldthe magazine rock. i

It is still another object of my invention to provide a reserve bobbinmagazine and :a pneumatic waste thread collector built as a unit havinga commonmounting which is hollow and connected to the pneumatic threadremoving systern.

With theseand other objects in view which will appear as the descriptionproceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described and set forth. n I

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of myinvention is set forth,

Fig. l is aside elevation of part of aweft replenishing loom having myinvention applied thereto, the lay, shuttle and the shuttle box being invertical section,

Fig. 2 isa front elevation looking in the direc tion of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation looking in the direction of arrow3, Fig. 2, and showing the magazine in a position intermediate its twoworking positions,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation looking in the direc-' Referringparticularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a loom frame l0 having alay ll driven by the usual connectors 12 operatedby the top or crankshaft I3. The lay is provided with a shuttle box M to receive a shuttleS which may be one of two shuttles with which theloom operates. The loomframe is provided with a stand or bracket. I5 on which is mounted amagazine M having front and rear stacks B and B of reserve bobbins.These bobbin stacks have eX tending therefrom, respectively, weft end-sW and W, Rocking mechanism designated generally at 16 causes angularmovement of the magazine at certain times in the operation of the loom.Normallythe magazine is in the working position shown in Fig. 1 with thelowest bobbin in the front stack in transfer position over the shuttleS, but the magazine can be rocked in a clockwise direction as viewed inFig. 1 through the mechanism E6 to a second working position so that thebottom bobbin of the rear stack B is in transfer position over theshuttle box, [4.

The loom is provided with an air pump 20 which may be secured in anyapproved manner to the loom frame l and has a piston 2i which isoperated by a lever 22 pivoted as at 23 to some stationary part of theloom. A connector 24 between the lay and the lever '22 rocks the latterso that the piston moves rearwardly when the lay is receding and movesforwardly when the lay is advancing. Extending forwardly from the airpump is a conduit 25 connected to parts to be described hereinafter. Thepump operates in such manner that it creates subatmospheric pressureswithin the conduit 25 during rearward movement of the lay when thepiston 24 is moving backwardly.

The loom is provided with a pneumatic thread remover designatedgenerally at R mounted on a lever 30 movable about the axis 3! of thetrans-- ferrer arm 52. The remover is connected to a flexible conduit orpipe 33 and has a lower intake mouth 34 which receives the weft end ofthe outgoing bobbin during the backward movement of the lay occurringimmediately after bobbin transfer. The remover R is normally in raisedposition but is depressed on transferring beats of the loom so that themouth 34 will be behind the thread '1 which leads from the shuttle inbox 14 to the fabric F.

The magazine is made with inner and outer bobbin guiding plates 35 and36, respectively, and the inner plate 35 is provided with a hub 31 bymeans of which it is supported. The outer plate 36 is formedsubstantially as shown in Fig. 3 so that the weft ends W extendforwardly and around a forward guide 38 on plate 36 while the weft endsW extend rearwardly and then around a rear guide 39'on plate 35. By thisconstruction the weft ends are led outwardly from the center of themagazine and the space between the two stacks of bobbins B and B issubstantially clear except as will be described hereinafter.

The matter thus far described of itself forms A thread collector,designated generally at C. is mounted on the right end of the tube 46 asshown particularly. in Fig. '7. The collector is provided with avertical wall 50 and an outwardly extending horizontal floor 5| fixedthereto. The

tube l6 extends through the wall 50 and may con-- veniently be securedthereto as by Welding or brazing so that the wall 50, floor 5| and tube46 become in effect an integrated unit. This is not an essential featureof the construction but is convenient. The tube 46 communicates with theinterior of the thread collector through a screen 52 secured to wall 5Band serving to prevent threads from passing from the thread collectorthrough the tube 46 and conduit 25 to the pump 20. Secured to the bottomor floor 5| and extending upwardly from the opposite sides thereof is asheet of transparent material designated at 55 and constituting the sidewalls and top of the thread collector, This sheet of material is securedin any approved manner to the wall 50 and floor 5|, as at 55, and issealed to prevent air leakage.

The thread holder as shown more particularly in Figs. 4, 5 and '7comprises a preferably rigid tube 60 the upper end of which is providedwith a flange 6| secured as at 62 to the floor 5|. The interior of thethread holder tube 60 communicates with the interior of the threadcollector,

and has a downwardly facing intake mouth 65.

which receives the weft ends W and W extending from the magazine. Theseweft ends are in two spaced groups as indicated in Fig. 5 and the threadholder projects outwardly from the collector between these groups ofthreads.

The previously described conduit or pipe 33 extends upwardly asindicated in Fig. 6 and then horizontally through magazine plate to beattached by coupling El to the upper part of wall 50. The interior ofthe pipe 333 communicates with the interior of the collector C, wall 50being provided with an opening 68 for this purpose.

no part of my present invention and operates in the usual manner, Duringeach backward movement of the laythe pump creates subatmosphericpressures which are'communicated to the thread remover R in a manner tobe set forth hereinafter and the remover R is effective to act on thethread T of the outgoing bobbin and take it out of the path of theshuttle. The magazine M will remain stationary incident to some of thereplenishing operations of the loom when the shuttle supplied from stackB is exhausted but will rock when the other shuttle supplied from stackB is exhausted. Reference may be had to Patents Nos. 2,199,353;2,199,354; 2,199,296 and 2,219,768 for a further understanding of theforegoing.

The bracket 15 is provided with a hub 45 through which extends a hollowor tubular sup port 46 secured at 41 in fixed position in the hub 15.The support passes through and provides the pivotal support for the hub37 of the magazine. The left end of tube 46 as indicated in Fig. '7 isconnected to the previously described conduit within the support 46.

The outer end of the collector 0 passes through Outer magazine plate 36and is provided with a door 10 which may be hinged as at H to the floor5i. A hand hold 12 is provided on the upper partof the door and thelatter is normally held closed by suction within the collector but canbe moved to the right from the position shown in Fig. 4 to afford accessto the interior of the collector for removal of waste threads therefrom-A brace 73, see Figs. 3,4 and 5, is secured to the floor 5| at M andextends around the sheet 50 to hold the latter in proper shape so thatdoor 10 can have a tight fit with the end of the collector.

In operation, the subatmospheric pressures created within the collectorby the pump 20 are communicated through thefloor 5! to the thread holder65 and through the wall 50 to the thread remover tube 33. The door 10,being normally closed, permits the pump to create subatmosphericpressures in the intake mouths 34 and 65 of the thread remover andthread holder, respectively, during backward movement of the lay. Whenthe thread of the outgoing bobbin is free to enter the intake mouth 34,therefore. it follows along the interior of tube 33 to the collector butis stopped from moving to the pump by the screen 52. In similar manner,the weft ends W and W will bedrawn into the tube 60 either for the purpose of tensioning or removing them after they are out at the selvage.

These threads likewise 4 are held in the collector by the screen 52.

15 1 2 shown in Fig. 1 to the position indieated inFig. 6

without interference between the bobbin stacks andl magazine and thecollector. The door Ill maybe open for removal of the weft ends withoutrisk of injury due to rocking of the magazine because of the fact thatthe outerlend of the collector C extends beyond theouter plate 36 aiidisoutside the magazine, as indicated clearly in Fig. 4. The thread holdertube 60 and the collector c are so formedthatthey lie within. the angledefined by thelthreads W and W as suggested in Fig. and therefore do notinterfere in any way with the proper ten'sioning of these threads northeir downward movement. The material of which the sheet 55 is made maybe transparent so that the operator canjlook through it to determine thenumber of bobbins in the back stackif desired, but this is not essentialinasmuch as a space can be left betweenwall and plate 35, as indicatedin Fig. 4, through which the number of bobbins in the backstack can bedetermined.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a threadcollector mounted in the magazine of aweit replenishing loom andconnected pneumatically to a thread remover and a thread holder. It willalso be seen that the collector is ishing operation, a magazine holdingspaced tacks of reserve bobbins, a hollow sup ort for the. magazine andwithin which subatmos heric pressures exist during loom operation, ahollow thread collector between said stacks of bobbins plenishingoperation, pneumatic means receiving.

said waste threads, areserve bobbin magazine, hollow mounting means forsaid magazine within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loomoperation, and a hollow thread collector deriving its support from saidhollow mounting connected to the pump 2%] through thehollow -support 46for the magazine and derives its support from the latter. The collectorlies between the front and backstacks B and B of reserve bobbins in themagazine and its outer end is located between the angle defined by thethreads. W and W, see Fig. 5. The thread holder is supported by thefloor 5| of the thread collector and through the latter derives itssupport from the magazine support, The tube 33 for the thread remover isconnected tothe top of thecollector and is bent as indicated in Fig. 6to accommodate;

the vertical movement of the remover incident to removal of a thread ofthe outgoing bobbin. Furthermore, there is provided a reserve bobbinmagazine and waste thread collecting unit'hav means and pneumaticallyconnected to said pneug matic. receiving means and having the interiorthereof in pneumatic communication with the interior of the mounting.

4. In a weftreplenishing loom having waste threads to be collectedincident to a weftreplenishing operation, pneumatic means receivme; saidwaste threads, a reserve bobbin magazine, .a hollow mountingffor saidmagazine within whichsubatmospheric pressures exist duringloomjoperation, and a hollow thread collector f pneumatically connectedto said penumatic receiving means and having the interior thereof inpneumatic communication with the interior of said hollowmountingsaidcollector having apart thereof located within the magazine.

54111 a weft replenishing loom having a magazine' having two spacedstacks of reserve bobbins from which extend two groups of weft ends,pneumatic means receiving said weft ends, and a ing a common support.Also, the thread collector is so shaped and located that it does notinter fere with the making of the magazine, and furthermore the end ofthe collector extends through magazine plate 36 and beyond the end ofthe magazine so that rocking of the magazine will I not endanger theoperator when wastethreads are being-removed from the interior of thecolhollow thread collector within which subatmospheric pressures existduring loom operation and located between said stacks of bobbins andsaid groups of weft ends and pneumatically communicating with saidpneumatic means.

'6, In a weft: replenishing loom having waste threads to be collectedincident to a weft replenishing operation, a reserve bobbin magazine, a

lector through door 10. The door is 80 located that it can be openedsufficiently to aiTord access to the interior of the collector withoutdisturbsin the weft ends W and W aswill beapparent from Figs. 3 and 5.

,H'aving thus described my invention it will be hollow thread collectorfor said waste threads, and a hollow common support for said magazineand thread collector, the interior of saidsupport being in pneumaticcommunication with theinterior of the thread collector, and means tocreate subatmospheric pressures within saidcommon support during loomoperation.

7, In a weft. replenishing loom having pneumatic removing means forwaste threads which occur incident to replenishing operations of theloom, a reserve bobbin magazine, a hollow thread seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto be limited to the del tails herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having waste threads to be collectedincident to. a weft replenishing operation, a magazine holding reservebobbins; a hollow support for the magazine and ing loom operation, a.hollow thread collector pneumatically connected to the interior of saidsupport and mounted on the latter, and pneumaticmeans communicating withthe interior of said collector for the reception of said waste threads.

threads to be collected incident to aiweft replenwithin whichsubatmospheric pressures existjduri 2. In'a weft replenishing loomhaving waste collector pneumatically connected to said removing means,and a liollow support common to said magazine and collector and withinwhich subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, the interiorof said support being pneumatically connected to the interior of thethread collector. m

o 8. Areserve bobbin holding aiid waste thread collectingunit for a loomhavingpneumatic removing means for the waste threads, said unitcomprising a reserve bobbin magazine, a hollow thread collector for thewaste threads pneumatically, connected to. said pneumatic removingmeans, and a hollow support for said magazine and collector within whichsubatmospheric pres- .sures exist during loom operation, the interior ofthe support being pneumatically connected to the interior of'theycollector.

for the reception of said 'municating with the interior of saidcollector.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having amagazine holding reserve bobbinsfrom which weft ends extend, hollow mounting means for the magazine, athread collector extending into the magazine and deriving its supportfrom said mounting means, said collector being hollow and having theinterior thereof communicating pneumatically with the interior of themounting means, and a thread holder having a hollow passage receivingsaid weft ends and pneumatically communicating with the interior of thecollector. 11. In a weft replenishing loom having a magazine holdingreserve bobbins from which weft ends extend, hollow mounting means forthe magazine within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loomoperation, a hollow thread collector located partly within the magazineand fixed with respect to said mounting'and having the interior thereofin pneumatic communication with the interior of the mounting, and apneumatic thread holder receiving said weft ends and communicatingpneumatically with the interior of said collector.

12. In a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin magazine holdingtwo spaced stacks of reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend, hollowmounting means for the magazine and within which subatmospheric,pressures exist during loom operation, a hollow thread collector locatedbetween said stacks of bobbins and having the interior thereof inpneumatic communication with the interior of the mounting, and apneumatic thread holder receiving said weft ends and communicatingpneumatically with the interior of the collector.

13. In a pneumatic thread control system for a weft replenishing loomhaving a magazine provided with stacks of reserve bobbins from whichweft ends extend in two groups, a hollow thread collector within whichsubatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, said collectorlocated between said stacks of bobbins, and a pneumatic thread holderextending between said groups of threads and receiving the latter andpneumatically communicating with the interior of said collector. 7

14. In a pneumatic thread control system for a weft replenishing loomhaving a magazine carrying spaced stacks of reserve bobbins from whichextend groups of weft ends, a hollow thread collector in whichsubatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, said collectorlocated between said stacks of bobbins, a floor forming part of saidcollector, and a hollow thread holder extending from said floor betweensaid groups of weft ends and. receiving the latter and being inpneumatic communication through said floor with the interior of saidcollector.

15. In a pneumatic thread control system for a loom having a magazineprovided with an outer plate to guide the tips of bobbins arranged instacks and from which weft ends extend, a hollow pneumatic threadcollector extending between said stacks and through said end plate andin which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, and ahollow thread holder supported by said collector and communicatingpneumatically with the interior thereof and having an intake mouthreceiving said weft ends.

16. In a thread control system for a loom having a magazine providedwith inner and outer plates for the guidance of stacks of reservebobbins fromwhich weft ends extend, a hollow thread collector extendingfrom a point adjacent to the inner plate through and beyond the outerplate, subatmospheric pressures existing within said collector duringloom operation, and a hol low thread holder supported by said collectorand communicating pneumatically therewith and receiving said weft ends.

17. In a pneumatic thread control system for a weft replenishing loomprovided. with pneumatic means for removing waste threads which occurincident to replenishing operations of the loom, a magazine providedwith reserve bobbins, a hollow thread collector within whichsubatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, said collectorbeing pneumatically connected to said pneumatic remover means to receivesaid waste threads and having a part located within the magazine andhaving another part located outside the magazine, and a door on that'part of thecollector located outside the magazine for the removal ofwaste threads within the collector.

v18. In a Weft replenishing loom having pneumatic removing means forwaste threads which occur incident to replenishing operations of theloom, means constituting a hollow pivot, a reserve bobbin magazinerockably mounted on said pivot, a hollow thread collector fixed withrespect to said pivot and having the interior thereof pneumaticallyconnected to the interior of-the pivot means, said collector havingportions thereof located in the magazine out of engagement with thelatter when the magazine rocks about .said pivot, and means to createsubatmospheric pressures within said hollow pivot during loom operation.

19. In a weft replenishing loom having pneumatic removing means forwaste threads which occur incident to replenishing operations of theloom, a hollowpivot, a magazine having spaced stacks of reserve bobbinsand mounted on said pivot and movable to two operative positionsrelatively thereto, a hollow thread collector pneumatically connectedwith said removing means, and to said hollow pivot and located betweensaid stacks of bobbins out of engagement with the latter when themagazine is in either of said two positions, and means to createsubatmospheric pressures within said hollow pivot.

20. In a weft replenishing loom having pneumatic removing means forwaste threads which occur incident to replenishing operations of theloom, a hollow pivot within which subatmospheric pressures exist duringloom operation, a magazine having spaced stacks of bobbins and rotatablymounted on said pivot to assume twooperating positions, a hollow threadcollector the interior of which is pneumatically connected to theinterior of the pivot and also pneumatically connected to said removingmeans, and means to mount said collector in fixed position between saidstacks of bobbins, said collector being so formed as to be out ofengagement with said stacks when the magazine moves from eithersaidoperating position to the other operating position thereof.

21. In a pneumatic thread system for a weft replenishing loom having areserve bobbin magazine which rocks about'an axis, a hollow threadcollector receiving said waste threads and within which subatmosphericpressures exist during loom operation, means holding the thread 001-lector in stationary position with one part thereof in the magazine andanother part thereof outside of the magazine, and a door on that part ofthe collector outside of the magazine capable of beingopened for removalof waste threads with:

